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How to Think Like a Criminal

Convicted serial killer Michael McGray, who recently acquired another life sentence for strangling his 33-year-old cell mate to death, takes no responsibility for his latest crime. In fact, he sees himself as the victim. The real perpetrator, according to Mr. McGrary, is the Canadian federal prison system who should never have transferred him out of a higher-security prison. After all, he insists, “I’m a sociopath. I’m a serial killer.”

Sixty-one-year-old John Thompson says he’s a victim too – of a 7-year-old’s sexual prowess. Mr. Thompson, convicted of sexual assault of a minor, is now threatening to sue the young girl because she “flirted with him” and then pushed him down and forced her tongue in his mouth.

What Are They Thinking?

We’ve long recognized that erroneous thinking accompanies many psychiatric disorders – consider the catastrophic thinking (I know she’s late to lunch because she died in a car wreck) that can accompany anxiety or the irrational beliefs (I will never feel better; my life is over) that often co-exists with depression. We’re now realizing that there are also thoughts and beliefs that play a role in initiating and sustaining criminal behavior.

In fact, psychological research is showing us that certain kinds of cognitions are linked to higher rates of violence, impulsivity, psychopathy and criminal justice system involvement. These are the kinds of thoughts that drive criminal justice case managers and probation officers crazy, because they indicate a pattern of dysfunctional thinking that can only lead to destructive behavior. Some of the most common include a sense of entitlement (rules don’t apply to me), failure to accept responsibility, short-sightedness (failure to learn from the past or plan for the future), insensitivity to the potential impact of one’s behavior, and a negative attitude toward authority.

Here’s some of the one’s I’ve heard: “I deserve all the good things in life.” “It’s a waste of time to feel bad about other people’s problems.” “Life is too short and unpredictable to waste time planning for the future." “If you show weakness, other people will try to take advantage of you.” “Hey, if she’s that gullible, she deserves whatever treatment she gets.” And, of course, the all-too-popular, “She asked for it.”

The Bottom Line

Thought precedes action, so perhaps it’s not surprising that convicted felons tend to share common thinking patterns. Hopefully, as we learn more, we can target these dysfunctional beliefs in treatment, reducing the recidivism rate and enabling the person to lead a more productive, crime-free life. For us non-incarcerated folks, if our date answers, “He shouldn’t have been in the road to begin with,” when we tell him the sad story of a run-over dog, run for the hills.

The Karpman Drama Triangle comes to mind; essentially those stuck on the triangle choose their position of entry (Angel or Demon) both with the common goal of getting into the biggest loser spot: Victim. Being the Victim is desireable since both the angel and the demon feel unloved and afraid of their adult lives and all that comes with it (responsibility, decision-making, autonomy, risk etc..); both the angel and the demon share a core belief that they are powerless and turn to the archtypal identities and 'powers' inherent in each role in order to give them a false feeling of worth as well as a vehicle with which to express their deeply seeded rage, guilt and shame.
I have found simillar connections within eating disorders; those who starve themselves to the point of death and those who stuff themselves also to the point of death; both food slaves share the same core belief that they are unworthy/unloveable or bad...What interests me most is: What determines which side of the coin we choose? Who is more likely to display resilience and escape the triangle?

Some yeras back, screenwriter Robert Avrech was doing some research for a TV movie script at a women's penitentiary. The warden there, who had worked at several prisons, both men's and women's, told him "“The one thing all these [convicts] have in common: absolutely no ability to see beyond the moment, to control their urges. These [people] are emotional morons.”

It is a mistake to confuse what self and other harming folks say with what is going on in their brains to drive the harmful behavior.

These are brains that are completely scrambled.

In fact, there was a recent study of a Russian serial killer that appeared to show his brain hyper-over stimulated, neurons over firing, and murder the only way he could sedate the effect. What a tragedy of lack of knowledge for his victims and him.

These are brain physiological matters and likely not accessible to everyday perceptions and understandings -- let alone what the afflicted individual says. These are first medical, not moral or criminal matters.

These people are not monsters -- they have very severe brain disorders. Once they were innocent children, like all of us. Hopefully, some day these crippling medical conditions will be diagnosed and treated in childhood and the demonization will be laid aside.

And in fact, most suffering from severe psychopathology lead sad isolated quite lives. Violence is by far more common from close male relatives and young men who are drunk -- and depressed. Demonizing psychopathology just prevents diagnosis and treatment of the main cause of violence -- alcoholism.

Better title would suit. How to think like a "murderer" rather than a criminal. I mean, I'm pretty sure the thought process of an opportunist thief or counterfeiter printing t-shirts in his garage is a little different to a murdering sociopath.